Exploring VMware Server: A Trip Down Memory Lane with Early Hypervisors

Reflecting on a recent personal project that involved revisiting the foundational days of virtualization with ESX 1.0 and VirtualCenter 1.0, the wave of nostalgia and shared memories from the VMware community, including current and former colleagues, was remarkable. These explorations into early VMware releases proved to be both educational and historically significant, especially for those who began their VMware journey at later stages.

Prompted by this positive response, many inquired about other early VMware hypervisors, specifically VMware GSX Server, Vmware Server, and VMware Workstation. These pioneering hypervisors played a crucial role in shaping the careers of numerous individuals within the IT landscape and the VMware ecosystem. Therefore, it seemed fitting to extend this journey into the past and include these influential products.

My personal experience with these early VMware offerings was primarily with VMware Server 1.0. Anything predating 2006 was uncharted territory. In fact, before embarking on this historical exploration, the fact that VMware’s very first product was simply named VMware was a revelation.

For those interested in delving into the configurations used to install each of these early VMware hypervisors, the details are provided below.

VMware 1.0

VM Compatibility: ESX/ESXi 8.0 and later (vHW20)
GuestOS: Microsoft Windows 2000
Operating System: Windows Server 2000 Standard
vCPU: 1
vMEM: 8GB
vDISK: 32GB
NIC Adapter: Flexible
Storage Adapter: Bus Logic

VMware GSX Server 1.0

A screenshot displaying the VMware GSX Server 1.0 interface running on a Linux operating system, highlighting its early graphical user interface for server virtualization.

Installing GSX Server 1.0 presented the most significant challenges. Many contemporary Linux distributions failed to load the necessary VMware modules. This necessitated compiling modules tailored to specific Linux kernels, ranging from 2.4 to 2.6. This path, however, led to a cascade of dependency and compilation hurdles. The invaluable archive of GSX Server documentation hosted by MIT proved essential in overcoming these obstacles, preventing premature abandonment of the endeavor.

After experimenting with numerous older Linux distributions based on 2.2-2.6 kernels, Turbo Linux 6.0 emerged as the ideal solution, functioning seamlessly out of the box. Intriguingly, this distribution even included a pre-installed older version of VMware 1.1.x (Build 364) for Linux, which required removal before GSX Server installation.

A beta version of GSX Server for Windows was also discovered and successfully installed on Windows Server 2003 Web, offering an alternative platform for those interested in exploring the Windows variant of GSX Server.

An image showcasing the VMware GSX Server 1.1 interface, demonstrating the evolution of the user experience in server virtualization software.

VM Compatibility: ESX/ESXi 3.5 and later (vHW20)
GuestOS: Other/Linux (32-bit)
Operating System: TurboLinux 6.0
vCPU: 1
vMEM: 8GB
vDISK: 8GB
NIC Adapter: Flexible
Storage Adapter: Bus Logic

VMware Server 1.0: A Stepping Stone in Server Virtualization

VMware Server 1.0 represents a significant milestone in the evolution of server virtualization. Building upon the foundation laid by GSX Server, VMware Server offered a more refined and accessible approach to running virtual machines on server hardware. It allowed users to host multiple operating systems on a single physical server, maximizing resource utilization and simplifying server management. While perhaps not as feature-rich as modern hypervisors, VMware Server 1.0 was instrumental in popularizing the concept of server virtualization and paving the way for today’s sophisticated data center technologies. Its intuitive interface and robust performance for its time made it a favorite among IT professionals exploring the benefits of virtualization.